Something Blue

Posted on Sat Aug 14th, 2021 @ 2:05am by Lieutenant Farizah Alani & Captain Nycolas Temple

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Deck 1 - Ready Room

ON:

Nyx was deep in thought as he stared out the window at Paradise Outpost. From the angle the ship was docked at, he could see into several of the floors through the large windows on the port side. He could just make out people walking around one of the promenade decks, just casually strolling as they shopped and dined in relative peace. He had often wondered about how life on a station compared to ship-life - would he find staying in the one place calming or monotonous? Would not having all of the usual departments of a starship be easier to manage or so easy it was boring? Can a nicely decorated corridor really make one forget they were light years from home?

These thoughts were dancing around his head, he had almost forgotten what time it was. His chronometer gave a helpful tingle of notes, indicating he was due for the next appointment of the day.

Nyx's next appointment was promptly on time, having been waiting just outside of the proximity detector giving her new uniform several tugs. Damn things were always riding up when freshly issued. Lieutenant Farizah Alani, recently cleared by Starfleet Medical and had been waiting for her transfer request to be finalized, had struck gold with the Luna class starship Pandora.

The Bolian stepped forward to press the chime of the Captain's Ready Room, waiting a moment for his acknowledgement. When the doors parted ways, her slender blue body slipped through before they had completely opened. She placed a PaDD atop Nyx's desk "Lieutenant Farizah Alani reporting for duty, Captain."

She smiled as she grabbed the chair across from Nyx's desk, spun it around so the back faced him, and she straddled it, resting her arms along the high backside. "You should find me suitable. I did a bit of research, and I have to say, you go through Operations Officer quicker than a Ferengi changes out Dabo girls on a slow night."

Despite himself, this did illicit a laugh from the Captain. "That's a very lively way of describing it, yes." He smirked, "Though some have gone on to bigger and better things. My XO was this Pandora's first Operations Chief."

"Good for him," Farizah said with a smile and tone of enthusiasm. "That is definitely an upward movement I admire, but bigger and better things? A tad cliché, and a little too diplomatic for it didn't work out, and their ass is off somewhere doing who knows what."

The Bolian was not one to sugar coat things. She was a straight shooter. "First Officer of a Luna class starship fits bigger and brighter, but I doubt many of his successors who came through here are a heartbeat away from the Captain's chair."

Nyx frowned at the Lieutenant's tone, before giving a slight shrug. "I don't believe that the only path forwards is towards the Captain's chair. Many people have done great things without ever sitting in one. Any contribution to betterment of the Federation is just as important as leading a ship, just as every department on the Pandora is as important as each other. We're all working together, in that regard."

"True," she conceded. "I'm sorry. I am still in a very tactical and security mindset coming off my previous posting, plus I am Bolian, and well yeah...we have a bit of a reputation for not having much of a filter and throwing ourselves at things full force." It was certainly true that not every path forward was on the command track. "Take it as a bit of a compliment. I see Pandora as a path forward, and I couldn't imagine someone leaving Pandora."

Nyx smiled at this and gave a laugh, "Compliment taken. And it is a compliment to yourself to be appointed here. We only ask for and receive the best, so I expect you to bring all of your knowledge - including your previous positions - to your new role. We definitely will need it."

"Oh Captain," she said shaking her head. "I do not know if you are ready for me. I'm here. So, I guess we are going to find out, but I warn you...and your First Officer that I am the overprotective type. I hope you like sitting on the Bridge because I raised a lot of hell as Security Chief on my previous posting when my Captain wanted to leave the ship."

Nyx sucked in a little breath through his teeth, "Oh great, another one not letting me have any fun." He gave a short laugh to show he was joking. "I can promise not to put myself in danger. I cannot promise I'll always stick to the chair."

She laughed and shook her head. "Fortunately for you, I am not in Security anymore. So, you are not my problem," she said looking at Nyx. "Though it may nag me from time to time and I may glare at you for leaving the safety of the ship."

"I will accept your glares with an apologetic smile in return." Nyx replied casually. "You and Nash can feel free to openly complain about me after I've left. Now, I know you've come from an adjacent department to Operations, I want to know how confident you are in taking the reigns of Ops right now."

Farizah smiled. "You don't have to worry about me, Captain. If you need me to take over right now, I'll have the whole Ops Department whipped into shape and sharpened physically and mentally. You just point me in the right direction, and I'll step into the shoes left for me to fill."

"Very well, the deep end it is." Nyx nodded, "We'll need to ensure all the new crew members are settled in and have established their departments. We've been out in the Expanse for some time so we've been improvising on roles and departments, everyone just pitching in wherever we can. The lines have gotten blurred, necessarily so, depending on what we've needed day to day. You'll find there's an Ensign Milkovich in your team who has really stepped up, even taking primary Ops on the Bridge for the Alpha Shift. He'll be able to brief you."

Farizah mulled the information through and nodded. "Hey, that is reasonable to me, Captain," she said with a pleasant affirming tone. "The fewer people that I have to worry about in the Operations Department, the more time I have to ensure the software of this starship is operating normally. Luna class starships have a lot to handle for their size." The Bolian was certainly ready to dive into things. "I am glad to hear I am taking on a Department with some good personnel already there."

"It certainly is," Nyx agreed, "The personnel have been doing amazing work during some incredibly difficult circumstances. Resources are running low and there's only so many times I can ask Lieutenant Mindo to fix 'er up again."

Farizah nodded. "I can completely understand that, Captain," she replied. "I cannot wait to dive in and get started aboard the Pandora. I will do whatever I can to make this starship run smoothly for you."

"Glad to hear it," Nyx nodded, "Well, I won't keep you much longer then, as you're keen to get started. Do you have any questions for me?"

The Bolian found the Captain handsome in a rugged sense, but this would not be a pursuit of hers. She had tried Commanderring a Captain before and that did not end up so well. Plus that one was single, this one was not. "No Sir. I just want to get myself cleared for duty and start getting to work as soon as possible."

"Very good, I look forward to working with you, Lieutenant." Nyx said as he stood, extending his hand out to shake with Alani. "I'm here if you need anything. Assuming I haven't left the ship on an Away Mission of course." He laughed.

"Let's hope not," Farizah replied. She bid the Captain a pleasant adieu, and headed back out onto the Bridge. There would be some settling in and mingling ahead.